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Monday, February 13, 2006

Half-Year Anniversary since QPR Beat Sheffield United and Off the Field....

-Exactly Six months have passed since QPR Played Sheffield United at Loftus Road, and off the field.....A few days later, the QPR Board met, and Chairman Bill Power and CEO, Mark Devlin were out..As various newspapers reported about this off the field...Sunday Times headline reported the next dayhttp://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-1734725,00.html

And the actual GameThe Sunday TimesAugust 14, 2005QPR 2 Sheffield United 1: Bircham passion revives RangersBarry Flatman at Loftus RoadPOLICE were called after armed men threatened the life of Queens Park Rangers’ club director Gianni Paladin yesterday, but after arrests were made, and with the crowd, players and officials unaware of what had just occurred, we were treated to a lively encounter with a committed fan at its core.Marc Bircham is one of those fortunate individuals who plays for the club he has supported with a lifelong passion. He wasn’t born when the likes of Rodney Marsh won QPR the League Cup as Third Division giantkillers almost 40 years ago and while the 1967 vintage were taking a bow at half-time, Bircham was locked in the dressing room being berated by manager Ian Holloway for being too anxious throughout a forgettable first half.However, Bircham is well versed with the exploits of his elders and was clearly aware of their presence. Within 11 minutes of the restart the midfielder, who has been known to parade his devotion by dying his hair blue and white, was celebrating a goal that any QPR veterans would have been proud to score.Then, with the match eventually won, Bircham went on to show the confrontational side to his character by reacting so angrily to a verbal barb from Sheffield United’s Chris Morgan that the visitors’ captain, seeking further retribution, had to be manhandled off the pitch by his manager, Neil Warnock.The fact that QPR had not only taken the points but leapfrogged Sheffield United in the Championship table after the Yorkshire team started the day in top position, clearly fuelled Morgan’s temper.Warnock maintained the entire contest was a disappointment, but his bitterness is understandable because his team did not possess the guile to exploit the opposition’s errors. QPR in contrast possess that quality as scorers Bircham and substitute Stefan Moore displayed.Moore, a summer free transfer from Aston Villa, was introduced as a 36th minute replacement for fellow new arrival Tom Doherty who limped off with an injured knee. Moore’s pace and attack was a constant threat to United and he was integral to the opening goal. Initially Martin Rowlands raided down the left, Moore tried his luck in a more central position and when Phil Jagielka could only half clear the ball, Bircham steadied himself to drive a shot past goalkeeper Paddy Kenny from 20 yards.Michael Tonge was badly missed in the Sheffield midfield and Frenchman Lilian Nalis had the sort of afternoon he could have categorised as tres terrible, but it was another summer signing, Paul Ifill, who suffered the brunt of Warnock’s displeasure. The former Millwall man appeared to lose his footing as he shaped to shoot early in the second half and sliced a goalscoring opportunity wide. But when he slipped and allowed Moore a free run at goal, Warnock decided an investigation was necessary.“I was convinced he was wearing rubber studs, which is ridiculous given pitches in this day and age, but I was right,” revealed Warnock. “He won’t be wearing them again.”Moore’s footwear was suitably stable for him to cross to Matthew Rose, who returned the ball for Moore to shoot home his first goal for his new club. Substitute Steve Kabba got one goal back for United from close range late in added time.STAR MAN: Georges Santos (QPR)Player ratings. QPR: Royce 6, Bignot 6, Shittu 8, Santos 9, Rose 7, Ainsworth 6 (Brown 69min 6), Bircham 7, Doherty 5 (Moore 86min, 5, Rowlands 7 (Bean 86min, 5), Gallen 7, Furlong 6[NB: subs not used - Cole, Shimmin.] Sheffield United: Kenny 6, Bromby 5, Morgan 6, Jagielka 6, Kozluk 5, Ifill 6, Montgomery 5, Nalis 4 (Short 73min, 5), Harley 5 (Gillespie 73min, 5), Webber 7, Shipperley 5 (Kabba 77min, 7) Scorers: QPR: Bircham 56, Moore 90